Stairway construction



Oct. 27, 1959 A. P. ROBINSON 2,909,918

STAIRWAY CONSTRUCTION Filed May 24. 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 [ga/Ewan. #LB/ERT P. ors/n.50#

Oct. 27, 1959 A. P. RoBlNsoN 2,909,918

STAIRWAY CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 24. 1954 INVENTOR. HL BERT P. Pa/wow United States Patent O 2,909,918 STAIRWAY CONSTRUCTION Albert P. Robinson, Seattle, Wash. Application May 24, 1954, Serial No. 431,707 1 Claim. (Cl. 7296) This invention relates to stairway construction, and it has reference more particularly to the provision and use of prefabricated forms for the molding and surfacing of the treads and risers of stairways with plastic surfacing materials such, for example, as cement, terazza or similar surface forming mixtures.

It is the primary object of this invention to provide prefabricated forms that can be permanently set in a bedding material provided therefor on the stair steps, accurately adjusted to the desired level and slope and then filled with a selected plastic surface forming material; the forms as thus being set, being used as screeds for accurately leveling and finishing the surfaces to the desired slope, level and form as determined by the structural members of the forms.

It is a further object of the invention to provide prefabricated forms, or what will hereinafter be referred to as grids, that may be set in position in a selected plastic bedding material and which have structural members that will enclose and define definite areas for the reception of plastic surface forming materials of different ki ds that will suit the different parts of the stair structure. For example, to dene tread areas for filling with a material that is especially. suited for such areas; to define nosing areas for filling with a material of another kind or color that is especially suited for those particular locations in the steps, and still other areas for materials most suitable for the surfacing of risers or for moldings vor skirting. s

It is a further object of this invention to provide a prefabricated grid made up of strips Yof materials suitable for use in the steps as dividers whereby any cracking that may be due to shrinkage will be confined to definite lines as established by the division strips.

Still further objects of the invention reside in the details of construction of parts comprised in the grids; in their combination in the finished grids and in the mode of use of the grids in the making of stairway steps, as will hereinafter be fully described.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, I have provided the improved details of construction, the preferred forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a stairway showing the steps thereof in various stages of completion, and illustrating the disposition of the present prefabricated grids or forms therein.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through one of the finished steps, taken in a vertical plane perpendicular to the nose of the step.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the prefabricated grid as provided for use in the steps shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a grid as provided for use in the forming of the nosing of a step.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the riser gauging and division members as used in the steps of Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of another form of risergauging member.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

In Fig. l, the foundation structure of a stairway is designated in its entirety by reference numeral 10, and is here shown to comprise a succession of steps 11 which should conform substantially in width of tread and height of riser to that desired of the steps in the finished stairway. While in the present instance this foundation structure is indicated as being formed of concrete, or the like, it is to be understood that it might be constructed of Various materials and in various ways, for example, it might be made up of sheet metal, of stone, or of brick or any other suitable materials.

The present grids, as shown in Fig. 3, are provided for each of the individual steps of the stairway. Each grid is made up of thin, straight strips .of metal, plastic or other material suitable for this particular purpose, joined together to provide the structure herein shown. Preferably the strips are about 1% inches wide and of sixteen gauge metal such as bronze. These grids are set in under-beds of concrete 13 that are laid as a semi-dry mix on the steps 11 of the foundation structure 10. VBefore the under-bed has set, the grids are pressed thereagainst, leveled and given the desired slope. When the under-bed has set, the grids will be held thereby, firm and true, and ready for filling with the selected surfacing thereto. All strips as thus assembled and joined have their top edges flush and in the placing of the grid, are brought into the same plane.

The divider strips 17 project forwardly of the strip 16 to terminate in short, downturned legs 17x. The top edges of the strips 17 are rounded at their forward ends into Vthe forward edges of the legs 17x as shown at 19 in Fig. 3. Across their lower ends, the legs of the several divider strips of the grid are rested upon and are joined to a fiat angle strip 20. This is set horizontally, with its forward edge flush with the forward edges of these leg portions 17x. VThe strip 20 has tongues 21 bent upwardly therefrom and these are spot welded to the lower end portions of thedownturned legs 17x as best shown in Fig. 3. Along its back edge, the strip 2li has an upturned flange 20x that gives stiffness and strength to the strip.

Each of the strips l5, 16 and 17 have partially detached tongues 22 struck outwardly therefrom, at right angles to the planes of the strips. All tongues are aligned lengthwise of the strips in which they are formed and are spaced approximately one-half inch from the lower edges of the strips. When a grid is set down in the layer of bedding material, the strips are embedded to about the depth `of these outturned tongues. The tongues are usefulin the anchoring of the grids and also in establishing their position in the bedding material.

The molding of risers of the stairway is facilitated by the use of angle strips 25, as shown in Fig. 5. Each of these comprises a single piece of flat material corresponding to that of the strips 15, 16 or 17. Each is of angular form, having a horizontal leg ZSL and a vertical leg 25V. These pieces also have the tongues 26 struck therefrom, and turned at right angles to the strips about one-half inch from their inner edges. in the bedding material applied against the riser surfaces of the steps, to match the position of dividers 17 in the These strips 25 are set grids as applied to successive steps. Each is cut, prior to being placed in position, to tit its particular place of use and to accommodate it to the height of riser and the `gridsgof adjacentfsteps. Y y p The strips 25 of Fig. 5 are used for undercut-risers. For risers withverticralsurfaces, those of Fig. 6,' are used. -If an overhang of the nosefportion of a step is desired, these-strips 25 -as -applied to the-riser may have the Aleg portions 25V inset from the forward edge of the strip 20 ,of` the nose grid to the desired extent.

If it is desired to use agridto deinefonly the nose portion vof a step, the grid of Fig. `4 is used. This isexactly like that shown in Fig. 3 with the part that is back of strip'16 removed. Y

'To give additional stiffness and handling rigidity to the grids, I have appliedrelatively stili rods, asat 40, lengthwise thereof, passing through the division strips `and welded thereto as indicated. These rods not only ,give handling `rigidity to the structure but also serve as additional reenforcing.

Where it is desired to provide the stair steps with a skirting,0r `basemolding, as designated at 50in Fig. 1, -I can advantageously employ division strips like-that Shown in Fig. 6 to gauge the depth and height'to be lled in ,with the skirting material. When such strips are used, -they are generally setin alignment with the ends of the longitudinal strips 16 of the various grids.

Assuming the parts to be so constructed, and to be assembled to provide grids as described, the use of the grids 'is as lfollows: After a suitable foundation structure has been provided, such for example, that designated bynumeral in Fig. 1, with-its preformed steps L11, a prepared under bedding material 13,Y such as fresh concrete, or mortar, cement and sand, providing a semi-dry mix, is `applied to the treads `and risers of the steps of the foundation structure, to a desired thickness. Then beginning at thetop vof the-stairway, and working downwardly, the `grids are laid in the bedding material on ,the tread portions of theesteps. Care is taken to get each grid properly positioned in its fore and aft relationship to the corresponding step 11, and each is brought to the desired level and slope. When embedded in the bedding material, the outturned tongues 22 projecting from the strips can be used to gauge the extent to which they are to`be pressed into ,the bedding. The grids are laid in succession and as the stairway progresses, the riser strips 25 are placed in position. In doing this, it may be necessary to carefully measure and cutoff the end portions of the leg of these pieces. For this reason-they are given ample length.

After the bedding material has set suciently to hold the grids firmly in place, the grid spaces which define the risers are filled with the selected plastic or surfacing material, designated at 30, and those that define the treads are filled with the selected material 31. Then these materials are leveled by using the strips 15, 16, 17 and 25 as screeds. By bringing the llingmaterial to the level of these strips, the risers and treads will be accurately formed to the exactpattern as provided by the grids.

The areas defined between the longitudinal strips 16 and 20 are then filled with a selected nosing material 32, which may beof a dilerent coloror kind'than that. of the treads to be easier seen and to give longer wear and provide the desired long wearing and non-slipping quality.

Grids of this kind, applied as previously described provide means -for an easier and more accurate surfacing to a desired level and slope; they provide definite areas for the treads, risers and Vnose portions, and permit use=of materials best suited to theselparticular areas;theyprovide screeds that insure accuracy in the forming of each step exactlylike the others; they provide division strips and troweling guides.

Having thus described my invention, lwhatI claim' as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A stairway comprising a foundation structure of step forms, a semi-dry, V plastic bedding material forming a subsurface of the treads and risers, rectangular metal grids set in the lbedding material of said treads, jsaid gridsincluding longitudinal members running lengthwise of thev treads and spaced from the risers and including lateralmembers running crosswise of the treads from the nose thereof to the back edge of the vgrid adjacent-to and spaced from thepriser, riser spacers of angular formset in the riser bedding material, onee'ud of said spacersbeing in engagement with the noseportionof said grids an'd the other end vbeing in engagement with back edge .thereof whereby uniform treads and risers are `established by the grids and spacers and a` plastic surfacing material disposed upon said bedding material with the surface thereof established by the grids and risers.

References Cited in the le ofthis patent UNITED STATES PATENTS i 704,999 White 'July 145, 11902 875,113 Schachner Dec. 31,1907 1,530,752- Brooks Mar. 24, 1925 1,775,594 Kelleweay Sept. 9, 1930 1,900,704 Galassi Mar. 7, 1933 

